BASEBALL: YANKEES NOTEBOOK

BASEBALL: YANKEES NOTEBOOK; Posada Can Bat, Not Catch, For a Bit

By JACK CURRY

Published: June 6, 2001

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada has a sprained collateral ligament in his left thumb, and he said last night that he would not catch in a game for at least the next five or six days. Posada is available to hit, but catching could aggravate the injury. After five or six days, Posada said, doctors will examine him again, and he hopes that he will then be able to wear a plastic splint and return to catching.

''It's frustrating to sit down,'' said Posada, who was injured when he reached up to catch a pitch in Sunday's game against Cleveland. ''I don't know what to do with myself. I'm not a good pinch-hitter and I'm not a good designated hitter.''

Manager Joe Torre said that he might start Posada at designated hitter and that he thought about using him as a pinch-hitter on Monday, even before the sprain was diagnosed. But Torre said: ''We're going to keep him from catching. He'll be back when the irritation gets out of there.''

Joe Oliver, who started for the second straight game last night, is 0 for 7 as Posada's replacement. Because Posada will be unavailable, the Yankees purchased the contract of catcher Todd Greene from Class AAA Columbus. Green, who was batting .252 with 6 homers and 17 runs batted in at Columbus, hit .235 with 5 homers and 10 R.B.I. in 34 games for Toronto last season. He was released on March 28 and signed a minor league contract with the Yankees on April 5. To make room for Greene, the Yankees designated outfielder Michael Coleman for assignment. Coleman had appeared once in the past 21 games and was also 1 for his last 24.

Hernández Admits Error

Four days after Orlando Hernández was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an inflamed second toe on his left foot, he said he had been delinquent for not seeking medical help sooner. Hernández said the toe has bothered him since spring training, but he did not tell the Yankees about it until May 8.

''We didn't pay attention to it and now these are the consequences,'' Hernández said.

When El Duque was asked to clarify if the Yankees did not pay attention to it, he said, ''I didn't.''

Hernández is going to wear a special boot on his foot and keep it partly immobilized for at least a week before it is determined if he needs surgery. Dr. William Hamilton, who examined Hernández on Monday, did not immediately recommend surgery. But the Yankees are expecting Hernández to have it and do not expect him back before the All-Star Game.

Hernández was subdued by Hamilton's diagnosis.

Regarding the surgery, Hernández said: ''I really can't say I'm relieved because I'm still not sure. They still don't know. Once the week is over, then I'll be able to tell you.''

Manager Joe Torre admitted that El Duque should have learned a lesson for failing to tell the trainers about his injury until about a month ago. Torre lamented that the Yankees could have dealt with Hernández's toe problem while he was also sidelined with an elbow problem earlier this season.

''He's one of our starters,'' Torre said. ''He has a responsibility. I guess he thought he could get by. Sometimes you think you're invincible and you can pitch in spite of things. When you're dealing in spring training, that's not the time to do it. If it's September, that's the time to do it.''

Amateur Draft Picks

The Yankees drafted John-Ford Griffin, an outfielder from Florida State, with their first pick in the amateur draft, which was the 23rd choice in the first round. Griffin, who batted .458 with 18 homers and 68 runs batted in, said he was a lifelong Yankee fan and added that he expected quick negotiations with the team.

''I'm not one of those guys to ask for too much,'' Griffin said. ''I just want to play baseball. I'm not into making a long negotiating process. I think the Yankees are going to be fair in whatever they bring.''

The Yankees also took Bronson Sardinha, a high school shortstop from Kahuku, Hawaii, with the 34th pick; Jon Skaggs, a right-handed pitcher from Rice, with the 42nd pick; David S. Duncan, an outfielder from the University of Arizona and the son of Cardinals' pitching coach, Dave Duncan, with the 62nd pick; and Jason Arnold, a right-handed pitcher from Central Florida, with the 63rd pick.